Category Archives: Football

U of L CardFile: Clemson

Football,

This shall be short, not so sweet.

No inclination here to go into detail.

Not going to sleep on it. Knock it out and move on to hoops.

Clemson 20, Louisville 19.

I can sense part of the narrative, given the buzz heading into this one about U of L’s QB situation. Which would be to place the L on Miller Moss’s shoulders.

Especially for the late sack, eliminating the possibility for a reasonable, makable FG.

My opinion: I don’t blame Moss.

That one play was the fault of the Offensive Line. Clemson’s defenders were all over Moss in less than two seconds. He didn’t have enough time to throw it away.

The second misdiagnosed villain will, of course, be Cooper Ranvier.

He doinked an extra point.

He missed a long FG attempt.

It happens. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Clemson →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XII

Football, Gaming, , ,

Somewhere along the way, I obviously did something to perturb Wageranius, the Greek God of Betting.*

*Who actually ran a book in Athens during the glory years. Remnants of his parlor still stand right near the Parthenon. His website advert is almost in tact, “BetYourAss.cae” Yes, I’m advised they had some sort of computer thingie back then, with pulleys and magnets and dripping water or some such, invented I believe by Digitales, Socrates’ nephew. 

Not exactly sure how I got on his bad side, but my recent predictioneering has taken a turn for the worse, and something’s afoot beyond my lack of foresight.

U of L as everyone is aware couldn’t close. Iowa came with seconds of taming the Quack, but didn’t. UCLA is firmly back to its norm of mediocrity.

IU, IU, IU just does it. And UK continues its uptick as predicted.

2-3. Meh. 41-25 for the year.

Bigger slate this weekend.

In a state of sleep-deprived delirium because of some little basketball game last evening I present . . .

. . . this week’s winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XII →

Gridiron Gab: Quotes + A Smidge of Hoops

Basketball, Football,

It’s that binary time of the year.

When we try again to watch football with one eye, basketball with the other.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Oh for the days of picture in picture. OK, not really. There are laptops and iPads and phone apps, and we seem to be able to manage.

First, football.

It was a typical November Saturday in Kinnick Stadium.

Full house adorned in black and gold. And rain gear this time around. Hearty folks, those Hawkeye pigskin fanatics.

And a defensive slogfest, even though the visitors were the high powered O minded Oregon Ducks. It’s a Ferentzian imperative. Lots of ground game, not much aerial.

Such that Gary Danielson, whose verbosity may transcend mine, at one point observed, “This is Army/ Navy.” Continue reading Gridiron Gab: Quotes + A Smidge of Hoops →

U of L CardFile: California

Football,

I played but a single year of organized football, as a JV DL at Atherton HS.

More than a half century ago, when players wore hip and knee pads and helmets that were a concussion waiting to happen, in the age of the Straight T-Formation, when they still gave us salt tablets in the August heat to prevent sweating.

I claim no expertise.

But I watch a lot of football. And have attempted to get some sense of the game beyond my abject fandom of the sport.

During the Louisville Cardinals games, I monitor the stats as they accumulate, attempting in my feeble way to detect trends. To discern what may work or not in any given situation of consequence.

So, at 10:46 pm Saturday night, in overtime with winter afoot both meteorologically and pigskin-wise, when the singular play will present itself that shall define the entire campaign, here’s what I am thinking:

The Golden Bears essentially have three ballers who have been the main perps of this upset about to come.

Do everything possible to see they are not the guys to beat you. Continue reading U of L CardFile: California →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XI

Football, Gaming, , ,

It didn’t take long for my winning streak to evaporate.

Tulane’s Green Wave fell at the Alamo midweek.

An omen before I was even able to greet anyone with “Joyeaux la veille de la Toussaint.” The script was written. I didn’t need any admonition from Father Brennan, something like, “You’ll see me in hell, Seedy, there, we will share out our sentence.”  The Waves’ L was enough to warn me my weekend was going to be a rafting adventure down the River Styx. No meet up with Damien necessary.

Auburn’s Plainsmen lost to UK — Stoops said it was a comin’ right? — which was such an embarrassment that they fired their coach.* Harsh.

*There are guys eyeing these jobs with extreme longing. Like a one-eyed cats peepin’ in the seafood store.

Vanderbilt visited the Burnt Orange just as they caught fire in Austin. A late surge wasn’t enough.

Utah bopped the Satterfields. Indiana is a season long killer, not just All Hallow’s Eve weekend. Ask the Terps, who suffered the Hoosiers fifth fiftyburger of the campaign. Louisville escaped thanks to the UPS RBs.

Hello mediocrity, my old friend.

3-3 for the weekend. 39-22 for my less than desirable season.

But the calendar’s flipped to November, Grantland Rice/ light the fireplace weather. When the days are colder and grayer and I’ll feel less guilty spending all day Saturday eating popcorn and pizza while watching football.

My stretch run of correctitude commences.

Honoring the sorority sisters at Bama, who take dressing up for football seriously. At least according the prexy of the Tri Delt’s:

“The football players, they’re walking in doing the Walk of Champions,” says Tri Delta president Finley Lowe, a Louisville, Ky., native. “They’re all suited up, they take so much pride in that. And in the same way, we take pride in how we look.”

While not dressing up, I’m taking pride in this week’s winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XI →

U of L CardFile: Virginia Tech

Football,

In this the home of United Parcel Service, there is really but one appropriate inquiry to be made in the aftermath of another slog of a Louisville victory against a significantly lesser foe.

That would be interimly-coached Virginia Tech, 28-16.

Rhetorical as it may be, the question:

“What can Brown do for you?”

The obvious reply: Whatever it takes in another tussle closer than it oughta be.

Brown, Isaac, after U of L got the ball upon the failure of a quick opening Hokie possession.

11 yards up the middle.

52 yards off left tackle for six.

2 plays, 2 totes, 62 yards and the 7-0 lead.

Which was big if misleading, given the malaise that followed for most of the affair in Blacksburg. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Virginia Tech →

Seedy K’s Pigskin Prognostications: Week X

Football, Gaming, ,

Their knock is like nobody’s else’s. Especially at 1:39 in the morning.

The polizei I’m talking about.

Sure enough, when I answered, there was police badge 714 staring me in the face.

“Mr. K, I’m Detective Joe Friday. This is my sidekick, Officer Bill Gannon.

“Our Fraud squad has been alerted by someone who identified himself only as Glorious Editor that were preparing an article making claims that seemed felonious.

“That you were going to post an article, claiming to have correctly predicted last weekend’s college football games.”

I was aghast. My boss had actually called in the gendarmes. That an officer of the law was at my door and had a backup behind him, his hand resting on a .38 Smith & Wesson Model 15.

This is what it’s come to.I’m Rodney Dangerfield in his mind.

Where’s the faith?.

I stammered.

Friday interjected.

“All we want are the facts.”

Friday: : “Do you pick Vanderbilt to beat Missouri?

“Yes, the score was 17-10.”

“Did you pick BYU to beat Iowa State?

“Yes, the score was 41-27.”

“Did you pick Indiana to beat UCLA?”

“Yes, the score was 56-6.”

“Did you pick Tennessee to beat Kentucky?”

“Yes, the score was 56-34.”

“Did you pick Louisville to beat Boston College?”

“Yes, the score was 38-24.”

“Officer Gannon, are those correct numbers? Did you check to see if K actually made those predictions?”

“Yes, sir, on both counts.”

“Mr. K, sorry to bother you so late. We were told to check it out immediately prior to Wednesday afternoon. We shall advise Fraud to close the investigation.”

My sphincter loosened.

What I go through for an editor, who obviously still has no faith, despite a previous proclamation of same.

It would appear, unlike Franklin, Napier and Kelly, I still have the same gig for another week at least.

The 5-0 perfecto raises my tally to 36-19 for the year.

This weekend’s winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Pigskin Prognostications: Week X →

Gridiron Gab: Buh Bye Bye F-Bomb +++

College Sports, Football

Upon hearing the news Sunday night, I texted my football frenemy Bookstore.

“Sayonara Brian Kelly.”

“So long F-Bomb.” The dude is often not subtle with his barbs.

“54 million. No problem. Three weeks in a row big time coach fired,” replied moi.

“But not Kentucky or Wisconsin,” he retorted, citing his two alma maters, having shall we say even less than moderate success.

“I said big time.”

Mic Drop.

So this Tilt-A-Whirl of the coaching carousel continues to speed faster and faster. The casualties mount.

Penn State. Florida. LSU. On consecutive Sundays.

Plus all those other somewhat lessers. like Arkansas, Virginia Tech, Stanford et al.

Luke Fickell, be sure you have your phone on silence next Sunday at church. Continue reading Gridiron Gab: Buh Bye Bye F-Bomb +++ →

U of L CardFile: Boston College

College Sports, Football,

Even Tommy would know this one was not an Instant Classic.

Tommy, you know, the Pinball Wizard.

Tommy, surely a fan of the English Premier League football, rather than Atlantic Coast Conference football.

Even Tommy, deaf dumb and blind as he was, would understand that Louisville’s 38-24 outlasting of Boston College was college football at its most . . . whatever.

(Words fail me.)

As out of the 13th dimension as that where-did-it-come-from lede was, it is no more absurd than Saturday night’s slapstick on Floyd Street.

You will not see this one on the Instant Classic Channel with an AI Chris Schenkel glorifying the highlights.

This was the ToonTown Bowl. Soon to be played on Funny Flickers with Pinky Lee or Soupy Sales hosting. Music by Spike Lee.

 * * * * *

Yes, Isaac Brown was magnifico. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Boston College →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week IX

Football, Gaming, , ,

I was derelict x2 regarding the Louisville Cardinals’ magnificent upset over the U last weekend.

First, in my game story, I forgot to give credit due for what was arguably the moment of the game. Or one of them. What is called by those studio panels of 14 ex- players and coaches on the telly, a “four point play.” When a team in Red Zone scoring range is held to a FG.

So yeah, better late than never, a Game Ball to DB Tayon Holloway. Who late in the 2d Q raced down Miami star Malachi Toney after a catch and gridiron consuming streak toward paydirt. Holloway pulled him down at the Cardinal 9 yard line. U of L’s D held, forcing a Hurricane FG.

Four point advantage to Cards. Difference in game, U of L won by 3.

Then there’s this, says he, now an official member of the Oh Ye Of Little Faith Club. Having seen nothing previously that indicated Louisville was up to the task, I broke my tradition and picked Miami.

Plus I forgot that Mario Cristobal will always make a game losing decision or two in the close ones.

Rarely am I so deliriously pleased to be very wrong.

As for the totality of last week’s picks.

4-2.

At one point Saturday I was looking at an ofer. Cards had already proven me wrong Friday night.

I knew I was in trouble with my Blue Devil prediction, when Duke kept driving the field early but couldn’t score. Georgia Tech is simply better. And sits atop the ACC standings.

Iowa trailed Penn State but pulled it out. Same can be said for UCLA over Maryland in extras. Indiana actually trailed early on before dismantling Michigan State.

Then there was my choice Texas. The Longhorns kept saying to Kentucky, “Here’s a gift, take the game.”

The Cats, as they are wont to do said, “No, thanks anyway.”

UK’s ball to open OT. 1st and Goal at the 3. Dowdell up the middle for no gain. Boley up the middle for two yards. 3d & Goal at the 1. Dowdell up the middle for no gain. 4th & Goal at the 1. Dowdell up the middle for no gain.

No feints. No fakes. Nothing innovative. Four straight cracks at one of the best DLs in the land. No nothing.

No score. Texas which actually lost yards on their possession, kicked the winning FG.

So, yeah, 4 up 2 down. 31-19 for the year.

One more bit of snicker before we forge ahead. In the Bottom Ten PFOTWOTY when Sam Houston We Have A Problem fell to UTEPid, 17-35, the stands were jammed officially with 671 Bearkat faithful.

OK, now, this weekend’s winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week IX →